Behind the Scenes

Freedom. It's the perfect word to describe the feeling you get driving into the rugged valley as you enter deep into the canyon lands of Moab, Utah. The concepts of "American Revival," our Børn Fall 2010 campaign, materialize before you in the most incredibly massive, inspiring ways. Such dramatic and staggering remnants of Mother Nature's work; we knew instantly why the canyon lands here became the sacred and spiritual ground for the earliest Native Americans, the Utes. You can just feel it in the air.

For us, the spirit of the Wild West, the grit of James Dean and the heart of John Wayne were all rolled into one, and handed to us neatly on a rusty piece of tin, shaped and aged by the earth. And that's exactly what we wanted for our Americana-inspired collection. Authentic, rich in tradition, confident in spirit, time-worn in attitude, handcrafted for beauty but tough as nails. The heart of Børn and the culture behind the "American Revival" collection.

As luck would have it, we shot our campaign in January during record cold temps and uncharacteristic snowfall. We didn't expect the snow when we arrived, and were in quite a frenzy re-thinking the look of the campaign since we expected layers of reds, browns and buff colors. Instead, we got a dusting of white, and in some cases, folds of white layered on the canyon lands and walls. But in the end, we embraced the snow, we appreciated its texture and its energy, and we're pleased to say it helped us create our very own, spirited interpretation of Børn "American Revival."

A Hunting We Will Go

Finding the perfect locations for our shots can sometimes be quite the undertaking. And Moab presented a unique set of challenges. Typically in January (we always shoot our Fall campaigns in January), it's cold in Moab, but it's not snowy. You might find a dusting of fresh powder dotting the canyons, but it usually doesn't last long in this intense, sun-baked environment.

When Dave (our photographer) arrived on location, there was snow. And plenty of it. Keith (our Art Director), arrived shortly behind Dave. More snow. Lots more snow. Hmm. Interesting predicament, when the entire Børn Fall 2010 "American Revival" campaign was conceived around the warm, earthy and luminescent shades of the natural canyon walls, cliffs and dust-covered lands.

This kind of snow was rare in Moab, even for January. So off they went, Keith and Dave, on a scouting adventure: hunting for new locations; re-concepting the campaign; reinterpreting the shots and re-crafting a new and now snow-kissed Børn "American Revival."

Swashbuckling their way through miles of rigorous terrain, Keith and Dave would ultimately learn to embrace the pristine beauty and the sculpted organic texture the snowy scenes would bring. And in the end, the 30+ images they would lovingly compose to create Børn "American Revival" would soon become the cause of what can easily be described as boisterous merrymaking from a group of passionate marketeers.

Our favorite part of the adventure? Keith (aka Blue Steel), doing his model-thing as he and Dave set-up the shots. He's awfully good at it, don't you think?

Moab, the Place to Shoot

If you get the chance to experience the beauty and the energy of Moab, you'll soon discover why so many notable landscape photographers from around the world go there to capture images of extraordinary arches, sandstone spires and gaping canyons carved by the mighty Colorado River. Remnants of prehistoric Anasazi and Ancestral Puebloan culture are also prevalent throughout the area. Some of the favorite shooting spots for photographers: Arches National Park, where you'll find incredible rock formations and the largest concentration of natural stone arches in the world. The park is 73,000 acres, and open year-round. Not to miss while you're there: Fiery Furnace, Balanced Rock and Delicate Arch.

Canyonlands National Park is a vast and unusual wilderness area with layers of sandstone rock carved into immense formations. In the heart of the park, the Colorado River and the Green River meet, where they have carved two great canyons through the flat layers of rock there. What to see: Island in the Sky, a high plateau with extraordinary views; The Needles, the epitomy of rock country.

It seemed like destiny when we first saw the location scouting shots from David, our photographer, back in April of last year. Death Valley, California. What an incredibly perfect destination for our upcoming July shoot. Our inspiration was "Mosaic Sands," the concept for the Børn Spring 2010 Collection, and this location perfectly spoke to the design essence of this Collection.

How do you describe a place that truly does feel like a different planet? Moon-like patterns and textures methodically dotting the earth. Softly molded and folded canyons making shapes so harmonious, it's as if an artist from a world above simply reached down and sculpted them by hand. And the color palettes -- layer upon layer of washed earthen color, rich with pure and gentle buff tones, some of them wielding tints of the most exquisite natural pastels you've ever seen. It was the perfect destination for Børn Spring 2010. The untouched, serene natural beauty of Death Valley was exactly what this Collection represented.

But Death Valley in July? Our sheer excitement for such a perfectly designed landscape may have ever so slightly overshadowed a bit of rational thinking. Here's a pic of our car dial showing temps from our first day on location.

In this case, a picture truly does tell a thousand words. And our timing for the shoot happened to coincide with record-setting heat for Death Valley that time of year. Needless to say, this shoot was not easy.

In the end, our experience there was really unlike any other. And the imaging we were able to capture tells the story of a Collection where design and inspiration come from a remarkable place on earth where beauty and time truly do stand still.